Terry Kenneth Morrison

Terry K. Morrison passed on Friday, September 5th 2025, surrounded by his closest family at hospice after a three year battle with cancer.

Born and raised in Nanaimo, BC, Terry left high school to pursue his passion of music. He travelled around the province with his band (Glass Cage/Lemon), even opening for the band now known as Trooper. Once at Malaspina collage, he took Patty Barron on their first date, in the Spring of 1970, leading to 55 years of true companionship & a loving marriage of 51 years. Terry and Patty took an “around the world” travel-year for their honeymoon in 1977-1978, leaving a lasting impression on them both, with an interest in visiting foreign countries and learning about other cultures.

As the Executive Director at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary for 37 years, (from 1975 to 2012), Terry was passionate about nature conservancy. Working there from when it was first established, his leadership helped to shape & guide the vision for Swan Lake to be the Nature Centre it is today. The Nature Sanctuary is a space for children and families to learn and rediscover the wonder of nature and the natural world around us and is a community for those impassioned about preserving local ecology. He worked tirelessly to help preserve important ecosystems such as Christmas Hill, even returning to Swan Lake as a volunteer some years after his retirement. Terry was committed to his community, serving on PAC committees, contributing his time to the Cadboro Bay Residents Association and advocating for the preservation of the local environment.

Terry and Patty built their home in Cadboro Bay and welcomed their only child, their daughter Eavan, in 1990, where they created a beautiful and meaningful life together. Music was Terry’s main passion, which was playing the piano, composing and writing songs, listening to great music (later joining the band Backstage Betty which often played at Swans) and curating epic playlists. At the Annual “Interpretation Canada” Conferences, at Manning Park Lodge, from the late 80’s through the 90’s, he was known as “Mr Music” because of the dance tapes he put together. His other interests included biking, traveling and camping with his family. One of his favorite places to spend time each summer was Hornby Island. With a keen eye for photography, he took many stunning photos over the years and encouraged his nieces and nephews to pursue their passions. A bit of a self-professed tech geek, he could often be relied on for tech support and was often sought out by family members, as well as friends. Proficient in the kitchen, his cedar plank salmon, antipasto and chutneys were famous (and often highly anticipated) by those who knew him well.

To know Terry was to know kindness, a gentle patience and the value of a good chuckle. A steadfast & loving husband, a devoted & proud father, community member and environmental advocate, Terry will be fondly remembered and greatly missed. Terry is survived by his loving wife Patty and their daughter Eavan, (husband Josh), and brother David, (wife Jo-Ann). They all miss him more than they can express.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people consider donating to the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary, his life’s legacy, and a place dear to his heart, or another environmental cause of your choosing. Should you choose to donate to the Nature Sanctuary, you can make a donation “in memory” of Terry K Morrison. A celebration of life is being planned for spring 2026. https://swanlake.app.neoncrm.com/forms/general-donation-form